Dynamic insertion and updating of hypertext links for internet servers

• US 6,092,074 A
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Connect Innovations Incorporated
• Inventors: Schmidt, David E., Rodkin, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terry, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/021,331
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/101, 707/513, 707/501, 707/10, 707/102, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system for automatically providing hypertext for character strings of a text file at a content server. A central server provides central control of the links of text files of a plurality of content servers in an information network such as the Internet. The central server intermittently updates each content server with new character strings and/or destination addresses, such as Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). The content servers also update the central server with new character strings. Optionally, each content server can query the central server on a real-time basis to obtain a destination address for a character string which does not have a corresponding valid destination address. The central server responds to such queries by searching its master databases, and using a search engine if required. Hit count data is maintained at the content servers and transmitted to the central server intermittently.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing hypertext links for a plurality of character strings including a first character string, said computer system comprising:

an annotation database associated with a primary computer which comprises a plurality of linkable character strings;

a destination database associated with said primary computer which comprises a plurality of destination addresses;

determining means associated with said primary computer for determining a matching linkable character string for said first character string, if present, in said annotation database;

wherein said matching linkable character string is associated with at least one of said destination addresses

wherein said annotation database further comprises a plurality of class codes which are associated with said plurality of linkable character strings;

the matching linkable character string has a plurality of class codes associated therewith;

said destination database comprises a plurality of destination addresses corresponding to said plurality of class codes of the matching linkable character string;

querying means associated with said primary computer which queries said destination database to obtain the plurality of destination addresses corresponding to the associated plurality of class codes; and

means associated with said primary computer for providing a plurality of anchor codes which relate said matching linkable character string to said corresponding plurality of destination addresses to provide a corresponding plurality of hypertext links for said first character string.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

writing means associated with said primary computer for writing a plurality of character strings into a primary computer file in which said first character string is carried to identify the corresponding plurality of hypertext links for said first character string.

3. A computer system for providing hypertext links for a plurality of character strings including a first character string said computer system comprising:

an annotation database associated with a primary computer which comprises a plurality of linkable character strings;

a destination database associated with said primary computer which comprises a plurality of destination addresses;

determining means associated with said primary computer for determining a matching linkable character string for said first character string, if present, in said annotation database;

wherein said matching linkable character string is associated with at least one of said destination addresses;

wherein at least some of said linkable character strings in said annotation database have an associated major class code, further comprising;

qualifying means associated with said annotation database for qualifying the matching linkable character string according to qualification criteria which requires the major class code of the matching linkable character string to match a preferred major class code.

4. The computer system of claim 3, further comprising:

interface means associated with said primary computer for receiving an administrator input which designates said preferred major class code.

5. The computer system of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving means for receiving a signal indicative of said preferred major class code from a central computer via a communication network.

6. A computer system including a central computer adapted to communicate with a plurality of primary computers via a communication network, said computer system comprising:

defining means associated with said central computer for defining a plurality of linkable character strings;

an annotation database associated with said central computer for storing said plurality of linkable characters strings;

assigning means associated with said central computer for assigning at least one corresponding destination address to each of said linkable character strings;

a destination database associated with said central computer for storing the assigned destination addresses;

transmitting means associated with said central computer for transmitting specific ones of said plurality of linkable character strings and specific ones of said destination addresses to said plurality of primary computers via said communication network in an intermittent maintenance mode;

said assigning means is adapted to communicate with a search engine for searching an information network using particular ones of said linkable character strings as search terms to obtain particular ones of said corresponding destination addresses; and

a destination filter associated with said assigning means for filtering destination addresses obtained from said search engine according to preference criteria to obtain said destination addresses which are assigned to said linkable character strings.

7. A method for providing hypertext links for a plurality of character strings including a first character string, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an annotation database associated with a primary computer which comprises a plurality of linkable character strings;

providing a destination database associated with said primary computer which comprises a plurality of destination addresses;

determining a matching linkable character string for said first character string, if present, in said annotation database;

wherein said matching linkable character string is associated with at least one of said destination addresses;

wherein said annotation database further comprises a plurality of class codes which are associated with said plurality of linkable character strings;

the matching linkable character string has a plurality of class codes associated therewith; and

said destination database comprises a plurality of destination addresses corresponding to said plurality of class codes of the matching linkable character string;

said method comprising the further steps of;

querying said destination database to obtain the plurality of destination addresses corresponding to the associated plurality of class codes; and

providing a plurality of anchor codes which relate said matching linkable character string to said corresponding plurality of destination addresses to provide a corresponding plurality of hypertext links for said first character string.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising the further step of:

writing a plurality of character strings into a primary computer file in which said first character string is carried to identify the corresponding plurality of hypertext links for said first character string.

9. A computer system including a central computer adapted to communicate with a plurality of primary computers via a communication network, said computer system comprising:

defining means associated with said central computer for defining a plurality of linkable character strings;

an annotation database associated with said central computer for storing said plurality of linkable character strings;

assigning means associated with said central computer for assigning at least one corresponding destination address to each of said linkable character strings;

a destination database associated with said central computer for storing the assigned destination addresses;

transmitting means associated with said central computer for transmitting specific ones of said plurality of linkable character strings and specific ones of said destination addresses to said plurality of primary computers via said communication network in an intermittent maintenance mode;

receiving means associated with said central computer for receiving hit count data from said primary computers via said communication network;

wherein each of said linkable character strings in said annotation database has an associated major class code, comprising the further steps of;

qualifying the matching linkable character string according to qualification criteria which requires the major class code of the matching linkable character string to match a preferred major class code.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising the further steps of:

receiving an administrator input which designates said preferred major class code.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising the further step of:

receiving a signal indicative of said preferred major class code from a central computer via a communication network.

12. A method of communicating with a plurality of primary computers via a communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of linkable character strings at a central computer;

storing said plurality of linkable characters strings in an annotation database associated with said central computer;

assigning at least one corresponding destination address to each of said linkable character strings;

storing the assigned destination addresses at a destination database associated with said central computer;

transmitting specific ones of said plurality of linkable character strings and specific ones of said destination addresses to said plurality of primary computers via said communication network in an intermittent maintenance mode;

communicating with a search engine for searching an information network using particular ones of said linkable character strings as search terms to obtain particular ones of said corresponding destination addresses; and

filtering destination addresses obtained from said search engine according to preference criteria to obtain said destination addresses which are assigned to said linkable character strings.